Cloth-folding apparatus



W. M. GUSTIN.

CLOTH FOLDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, i920.

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CLOTH FOLDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, I920.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

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r n a H I K 12 venfb r: 4/6 am 771321411 11 f W Matt UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 1VI. GUSTIN, OF HINGHAM, IVZASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNGR OF ONE-HALF TO ELDEN H. JENNISON, OF "WESTON, IVIASSACHUSETTS.

CLOTH-FOLDING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 6, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM M. GUSTIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hingham, county of Plymouth, Common wealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cloth-Folding Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts in each of the several views.

This invention relates to apparatus for laying a web of cloth or other sheet material in a series of superposed folds upon a table or like support so that the several layers of cloth may be died or blanked out to the required form simultaneously. Apparatus for this purpose adapted to draw the'cloth web from a supply roll and lay the same,

upon the table has hitherto been devised, but so far as I am aware previous apparatus of this type has been relatively slow in operation being adapted to lay only one fold at a time and requiring the manipulation of rods or bars upon the movable table and the fixed support between the laying of successive folds. The principal object of the present invention is to provide means comprising a car or carrier movable over the table on which the cloth is to be laid and equipped with means for drawing out from a relatively stationary support, a series of folds simultaneously and of such a number as may be required for dieing out simultaneously, requiring thus only a single operative movement of the car to lay a substantial number of folded layers superposed one upon another. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description, and the distinctive features of novelty will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3is a front end view of the car, the track being shown in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the stationary frame from which the cloth is drawn and showing the rolls mounted in such frame over which the cloth passes;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920. Serial No. 371,573.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial vertical sect1on on line 55 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on line 66 of Fig. 2.

10 indicates a table upon which the folded layers of the cloth are to be laid. In practice this table will be of a width determined by the widest width of the cloth web that is to be handled and of a length corresponding to the length of the folded layers to be laid, e. 9., often fifty feet or more, the particular length being determined by conditions of use, since the invention is not in any wise limited in this respect. At one end of this table is mounted a stationary frame 11 having a mounting 11 for a roll of cloth R from which the web W to be folded is drawn. This frame has side portions 11 11 spaced apart a somewhat greater distance that the width of the cloth web. One of these side portions has swingingly mounted at the front thereof a frame 12 from which extend a series of round bars or rods 13 constituting axles on which are rotatably fitted rolls ll. The frame 10 is shown as equipped with a series of tongues 12 through which is passed a pivot rod 15 fitted rertically through the front end of the frame portion 11 and constituting the pivot on which the frame 12 swings. The axle rods 18 are of length to extend across to the other side frame portion 11 and their extremities 13 which are shown as squared are adapted to engage in seats 16 provided therefor in the front of the frame portion 11 The frame portion 11 has slidably fitted therein a vertical bar 17 equipped with a series of lateral projections 18 with down turned extremities 18 which constitute catches adapted to hold the rod ends 13 in their respective seats 16 when they are moved thereinto. The bar 17 is normally held downward so that these catches hold the axle rods in place, by a coil spring 19 and the bar is equipped with a projecting head 20 constituting a handle by which it may-be lifted to disengage these catches when the rolls are to be swung outward as presently explained. The outer sides of the catches 18 are preferably beveled as indicated at l8 so that the rod ends on bein pressed into their seats may lift the bar 17 and permit the rod ends to be seated without requiring the separate manual lifting of the bar 17. This mounting of the ro1ls13-thus permits them to be swung outward from the side frame portion 11 so that they would extend alongside the end portion of the table, and since the side portion 11 is spaced laterally outward from the table, these rolls would then occupy a position so that the car will be clear of them in its movement overthe table as now to' be explained. 21

indicates a car mounted on a track 22, the

rails of which extend at the respective sides of the table 10. This car is shown asdriven by an electric motor 23 connected through reducing gearingi24= to an axle 25 thereof, though this manner of drivlng the car is merely illustrative. This car has mounted at. the front thereof a frame work equipped withspaced apart horizontal forward proje'cti'ons: 26 at each side thereof. Theseprojections 26 at one-sideof-the car have pivoted thereto as indicated at 27 axle rods 28 bearing rolls 29, these pivots being on the same side of the mechanism as the side portion 11 of the stationary frame. The rojections 26- at the other side of the car are equipped with seats 30 adapted to'receive the outer extremities of the rods 28 whenthese-are swung th'ereinto, these extremities being'shownas squared as indicatedat 31.

Spring pressed catches 32 are provided for holding'theserod-extremities in their re spective' seats when they are moved there into, these catches having projecting heads 32 toserve as hand pieces and having outwardly'beveled sides 32 to permit the rod extremities to'press them back and snap past them'asthey are inserted into their seats.

7 In use the car is run up toward the frame V 11 until the spaced apart projections 26 ex- 40 frame 11. Then on moving thecar outward along'thetrack 22 the rolls 29 will engage the cloth'and draw it between the respective rolls 13 toproduce a series of folds F which with the employmentof the'number of rolls shown will be eight in number, i. 0., one more than the total number of rolls. At this point it should be understood that while I show herein three rolls mounted on the stationary frame cooperative with four rolls on the car, that these numbers are merely illustrative and that more or less rolls may be employed according'tothe number of folds which-it may be desired, or practicable to produce simultaneously in any particular material. As the car is moved outward over the track 22".the folds-will thus be laid upon the table evenly Jsuperposed" and" of .a length determined by thelength of the table and of the car movement. If desired the roll Rfrom which the cloth is drawn may be motor actuated soas to facilitate the feeding off of the cloth, this feature involving no particular requirements as to structure being not however shown herein. l/Vhen the full lengths of the folds have been laid the rolls 29 are released from the catches 32 and swung outward so as to remove them from the folds and likewise the rolls 13 are released by the catch bar 17"and swung outward so as to disengage-them from the folds so'that the'cloth may then lay perfectlyflat upon the table-and thecar may be returned for another operation. I am aware that the invention inav be embodied in other-specific tically and mounted for swinging movement from one end thereof, a tableto recelvethe cloth folds, and a car mounted'to operate on atrack over said table,said car bearing a series of horizontal rolls vertically spaced apart and mounted so as to pass between the rolls on said frame to a-position inward thereof, said car rollshaving a mounting to swing from one'end thereof.

2. Folding apparatus, comprising a relatively stationary frame bearing ;a set of horizontal rolls vertically spaced apart, and a car mounted formovement toward and from said frame andbearing a set ofhorizontal vertically spaced apart rolls arranged to enter between the rollsof saidframe to a position inward thereof, the rolls on said car and said frame having a mounting permitting them toswing from one end thereof to disengage them fromthe material folds after the'folds are laid;

3. Folding apparatus, comprising a relatively stationaryframe having a mounting for a cloth roll, a set of horizontal vertically spaced apart rolls mounted in said frame to swing from one end thereof,the frame having an equipment forldetachably locking the other ends of said rollsthereto, and a car mounted for movement toward and from said frame, and bearing a set of horizontal vertically spaced apart rollsiarranged and adaptedfto enter between the rolls on said frame to a point inward thereof, said car rolls having amounting permitting movement thereof to disengage them from the of said frame rolls, and a series of rolls 10 cloth folds. pivoted at one end to the projections on 4:. Cloth folding apparatus, comprising a said car, said projections equipped with stationary frame bearing a series of horizonmeans for detachably locking the other ends 5 tal vertically spaced apart rolls, a car mountof said rolls thereto for the purpose stated.

ed for movement toward and from said In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 frame having a series of horizontal vertiname to this specification. cally spaced projections from the front thereof adapted to enter between the axles WVILLIAM M. GUSTIN. 

